Mr. Lucian

Starting with tomorrow night’s Festival First Night (loads of stuff for free in the city) there’s so much to see in this year’s Sydney Festival: I highly recommend students and parents get out to see something special – Off the top of my head, for brass players I would recommend (all awesome):

MATTHEW HERBERT BIG BAND
January 24

Matthew Herbert’s Big Band project combines the cream of the UK jazz scene – on trumpets, trombones, saxophones, piano, bass and drums – with Herbert’s own electronic wizardry.

FANFARE CIOCARLIA
January 15-16

Fanfare Ciocărlia are the world’s foremost Gypsy brass band. This explosive ensemble creates a furious Balkan funk that excites a fan base stretching well beyond world music.

THE CINEMATIC ORCHESTRA
January 21-23

One of the most innovative bands in the UK, The Cinematic Orchestra remix live source material into a seamless fusion of electronic sampling, live instrumental and improvised jazz.

OLD WORLD/NEW WORLD – FESTIVAL SYMPHONY
January 24

Join us at The Domain as conductor and guide Richard Gill leads the Sydney Symphony through the work of some of Australia’s most brilliant composers before taking us back to the beauty and inspiration of the giants of the classical canon.

THE GYPSY QUEENS & KINGS – FESTIVAL JAZZ
January 17

An epic celebration of gypsy life and song combining the power of the brass section of the legendary Fanfare Ciocârlia with the gitano guitars of Kaloome and the soul of the great voices of the roma community. Music made for a summer’s night.

FANTASTIC PLANET WITH BEN WALSH AND THE ORKESTRA OF THE UNDERGROUND
January 18

Take The Bird, Hermitude, The Crusty Suitcase Band and Ponyclub Massacre and you have the eclectic culmination of artists that is The Orkestra of the Underground. The Orkestra will weave together a live score to the animated film Fantastic Planet.

MUSIC IS MAGIC
January 11

Led by the much-loved Maestro George Ellis, the Sydney Youth Orchestra, Australian Youth choir and a line-up of surprise guest performers present some of the highlight entries in the 2008 Australian Children’s Music Foundation National Songwriting competition.

SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS
January 11

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings are the unrivalled frontrunners of old-school soul and funk. The Ray Mann Three deliver a dynamic yet warmly intimate set.